Title FAM, California Fam. Code

Upon the request of the adoptive parents or the adopted child, a clerk of the superior court may issue a certificate of adoption that states the date and place of adoption, the birthday of the child, the names of the adoptive parents, and the name the child has taken. Unless the …

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, an action may be brought in the county in which the petitioner resides for the purpose of obtaining for a child adopted by the petitioner a new birth certificate specifying that a deceased spouse of the petitioner who was in the home at the time…

After adoption, the adopted child and the adoptive parents shall sustain towards each other the legal relationship of parent and child and have all the rights and are subject to all the duties of that relationship. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1…

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that some adoptive children may benefit from either direct or indirect contact with birth relatives, including the birth parent or parents or any siblings, or an Indian tribe, after being adopted. Postadoption contact agreements are intended…

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the existing parent or parents of an adopted child are, from the time of the adoption, relieved of all parental duties towards, and all responsibility for, the adopted child, and have no right over the child. (b) The termination of the p…

A child adopted pursuant to this part may take the family name of the adoptive parent. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

The department shall adopt rules and regulations it determines are reasonably necessary to ensure that the birth parent or parents of Indian ancestry, seeking to relinquish a child for adoption, provide sufficient information to the department, county adoption agency, or licensed…

Whenever a final decree of adoption of an Indian child has been vacated or set aside or the adoptive parent voluntary consents to termination of parental rights to the child, a biological parent or prior Indian custodian may petition for return of custody and the court shall gran…

(a) (1) If a parent is seeking to relinquish a child pursuant to Section 8700 or execute an adoption placement agreement pursuant to Section 8801.3, the department, county adoption agency, licensed adoption agency, or adoption service provider, as applicable, shall ask the child …

(a) The department shall adopt regulations regarding the provision of adoption services by the department, county adoption agencies, licensed adoption agencies, and other adoption service providers authorized pursuant to this division and shall monitor the provision of those serv…

A licensed private adoption agency whose services are limited to a particular target population shall inform all birth parents and prospective adoptive parents of its service limitations before commencing any services, signing any documents or agreements, or accepting any fees. T…

Notwithstanding any other law, all adoption facilitators registered with the department on its statewide registry as of July 1, 2023, shall cease operation in this state on or before December 31, 2023. An adoption facilitator that continues to operate on or after January 1, 2024,…

(a) A person aggrieved by a violation of Section 8609 may bring a civil action for damages, rescission, injunctive relief, or any other civil or equitable remedy. Operation of an unlicensed adoption agency, as referenced in paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 1503.5 of th…

(a) The department shall create a section on its internet website dedicated to educating the public on unlicensed adoption agencies. The section shall include both of the following: (1) A statement informing the public that, as of January 1, 2024, operating as an “adoption facili…

Notwithstanding any other law, an adoption order issued pursuant to this part shall include the names of the adoptive parent or parents and any existing parent or parents who will maintain their parental rights after the finalization of the adoption. A failure to include an exist…

Unless the provision or context otherwise requires, the definitions in this chapter govern the construction of this part. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

“Debt” means an obligation incurred by a married person before or during marriage, whether based on contract, tort, or otherwise. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

A debt is “incurred” at the following time: (a) In the case of a contract, at the time the contract is made. (b) In the case of a tort, at the time the tort occurs. (c) In other cases, at the time the obligation arises. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January…

(a) An adult may be adopted by another adult, including a stepparent, as provided in this part. (b) A married minor may be adopted in the same manner as an adult under this part. (Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 266, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1994.)

A married person who is not lawfully separated from the person’s spouse may not adopt an adult without the consent of the spouse, provided that the spouse is capable of giving that consent. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

(a) A married person who is not lawfully separated from the person’s spouse may not be adopted without the consent of the spouse, provided that the spouse is capable of giving that consent. (b) The consent of the parents of the proposed adoptee, of the department, or of any other…

(a) Except as permitted by the court, upon a finding of good cause, a person shall not adopt more than one unrelated adult pursuant to this part within one year of the person’s adoption of an unrelated adult unless the proposed adoptee is the biological sibling of a person previo…

A person adopted pursuant to this part may take the family name of the adoptive parent. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

After adoption, the adoptee and the adoptive parent or parents shall sustain towards each other the legal relationship of parent and child and have all the rights and are subject to all the duties of that relationship. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January …

(a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c), the birth parents of a person adopted pursuant to this part are, from the time of the adoption, relieved of all parental duties towards, and all responsibility for, the adopted person, and have no right over the adopted person. …

A hearing with regard to adoption under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 9320) or termination of a parent and child relationship under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 9340) may, in the discretion of the court, be open and public. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Op…

This chapter may be cited as the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

This chapter is effective on and after January 1, 1986, and applies to any premarital agreement executed on or after that date. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

(a) (1) Each county shall maintain a local child support agency, as specified in Section 17304, that shall have the responsibility for promptly and effectively establishing, modifying, and enforcing child support obligations, including medical support, enforcing spousal support o…

If an obligor has an ongoing child support order being enforced by a local child support agency pursuant to Title IV-D of the Social Security Act and the obligor is disabled, meets the SSI resource test, and is receiving Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payments (S…

If the parent who is receiving support enforcement services provides to the local child support agency substantial, credible, information regarding the residence or work address of the support obligor, the agency shall initiate an establishment or enforcement action and serve the…

(a) All of the following shall include notice of, and information about, the child support service hearings available pursuant to Section 17801, provided that there is federal financial participation available as set forth in subdivision (j) of Section 17801: (1) The booklet requ…

(a) In any case of separation or desertion of a parent or parents from a child or children that results in aid under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code being granted to that family, the noncustodial parent or par…

(a) Each local child support agency shall, on a monthly basis, remit to the department both the federal and state public assistance child support payments received pursuant to Section 17402. (b) The department shall promulgate regulations to implement this section. (Added by Stat…

(a) Notwithstanding any other statute, in any action brought by the local child support agency for the support of a minor child or children, the action may be prosecuted in the name of the county on behalf of the child, children, or a parent of the child or children. The parent w…

(a) Upon receipt of a petition or comparable pleading pursuant to Part 6 (commencing with Section 5700.101) of Division 9, the local child support agency or petitioner may either (1) request the issuance of a summons or (2) request the court to issue an order requiring the respon…

(a) If, prior to filing, a petition or comparable pleading pursuant to Part 6 (commencing with Section 5700.101) of Division 9 is received by the local child support agency or the superior court and the county in which the pleadings are received is not the appropriate jurisdictio…

Hearings by telephone, audiovisual means, or other electronic means shall be permitted in child support cases in which the local child support agency is providing child support services. The Judicial Council shall adopt court rules implementing this provision and subdivision (f) …

In exercising the jurisdiction under Section 5700.319, either the department or the local child support agency shall issue a notice to change payee on a support order issued in this state, upon request from the support enforcement agency of another state where a custodial party h…

In carrying out duties under this article, the local child support agency shall interview the custodial parent within 10 business days of opening a child support case. This interview shall solicit financial and all other information about the noncustodial parent. This information…

(a) In all actions involving paternity or support, including, but not limited to, other proceedings under this code, and under Division 9 (commencing with Section 10000) of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the local child support agency and the Attorney General represent the pu…

(a) If the Attorney General is of the opinion that a support order or support-related order is erroneous and presents a question of law warranting an appeal, or that an order is sound and should be defended on appeal, in the public interest the Attorney General may: (1) Perfect o…

A declaration of state reciprocity issued by the Attorney General on or before December 31, 2015, and a declaration issued pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 5700.308, shall remain in full force and effect unless one of the following occurs: (a) The declaration is revoked or …

(a) Notwithstanding Section 17404, upon noticed motion of the local child support agency, the superior court may consolidate or combine support or reimbursement arrearages owed by one obligor to one obligee in two or more court files into a single court file, or combine or consol…

In any action filed by the local child support agency pursuant to Section 17402 or 17404, the local child support agency shall provide the mother and the alleged father the opportunity to voluntarily acknowledge paternity by signing a paternity declaration as described in Section…

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, an action for child support may be brought by the local child support agency on behalf of a minor child or caretaker parent based upon a voluntary declaration of parentage as provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 7570) of Part 2 of Divi…